Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies

Oatmeal Cookies with Craisins

1 c. [2 sticks] butter, softened

1 c. firmly packed brown sugar

½ c. white sugar

2 eggs

1 t. vanilla

1 ½ c. plain all-purpose flour

1 t. baking soda

1 t. cinnamon

½ t. salt

3 cups uncooked oatmeal

1 c. Craisins (dried cranberries)

 

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees
2. Beat together butter and sugars until creamy.
3. Add eggs & vanilla; beat well
4. Add combined flour, soda, cinnamon, and salt; mix well
5. Stir in oats and raisins; mix well
6. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. [For perfect cookies, use parchment paper]
7. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown
8. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet; then remove to wire rack for further cooling

These are David’s favorite, and he’s a cookie specialist!

 

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Marinated Pork Loin

Here’s another great recipe from Chef David [pronounced like dah- VEED when he cooks.] He adapted this from www.allrecipes.com which is a terrific source of info when you’re at a loss as to “What’s for dinner?”

Marinate pork loin or tenderloin in:

• ½ c. olive oil
• ½ c. balsamic vinegar

Adjust amounts according to size of meat; For 2 – 3 pounds use the above and marinate in a large ziplock style bag. For a large amount as pictured, he used a cup of each and marinated in a long baking dish, turning whenever we thought of it. Keep refrigerated until time to cook.

Place unsliced meat with marinade in baking dish. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees until internal temp is 145 or approximately 45 minutes to an hour.

Leftovers freeze well… but you most likely will not have an opportunity to test that assumption.

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Squash Casserole

Hannah created this wonderful dish which uses NO CANNED SOUP and therefore no MSG which is very important to a delicate flower like me.

• 4 cups yellow squash and/or zucchini sliced
• 1 onion sliced
• 35 buttery crackers crushed: we like Townhouse [these do not contain cottonseed oil]
• 1 cup shredded cheese
• 2 eggs beaten
• 3/4 c. milk
• 1/4 c. butter -melted
• 1 t. each salt & pepper
• 2 more T. butter

Preheat oven to 400. On stovetop, steam squash and onions in small amount of water for 5 -10 minutes. Drain well. In a separate bowl, mix together the cheese and cracker crumbs. Add 1/2 of cracker mixture to drained squash. Add beaten eggs and milk plus 1/4 c. melted butter and stir. Add salt and pepper. Pour into greased 9 x 11 casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese and crackers. Dot with 2 T. butter. Bake at 400 for approximatley 25 minutes until brown.

 

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Buttermilk Brownies

If you need a chocolate hit, here’s your chance! You are going to be surprised how easy this is to make.

• 1 cup water [or brewed coffee]
• 1 stick butter, not margarine
• 2 c. plain flour
• 2 c. sugar
• 1/4 c. cocoa
• 1 t. baking soda
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 c. buttermilk [or milk w/ 1 t. lemon juice]

In a small sauce pan, heat water and butter until butter is melted;

In mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, cocoa;

Pour butter mixture into flour mixture and combine

Add buttermilk, eggs and soda; mix well

Pour into a greased 9 x 13 baking dish

Bake at 375 for 15 -20 minutes

Icing:

• 1/3 c. buttermilk
• 1/2 c. butter
• 1/4 c. cocoa

In the same small saucepan, combine & heat the above ingredients until bubbly over medium heat;

In mixing bowl combine buttermilk mixture with 4 – 4 1/2 c. powdered sugar; beat until smooth and poor over cooled brownies.

To increase yummy noises serve with ice cream.

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Very Easy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Keep a cake mix on hand for making these hot out the oven cookies:

• 1 yellow or white cake mix
• 1/2 c. oil or margarine
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 c. chocolate chips

Combine and use a cookie scoop to place dough on pans. Bake at 325 degrees for approximately 12 – 15 minutes. Makes 2 dozen.

See the Homemade page, Easy Cookies for lots of variety using this simple recipe.

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Chicken Crab Cakes and Easy Ranch Dressing

David invented this tasty recipe. There’s no crab meat in these. However, they resemble a very nice meaty crabcake in texture. Use a food processer to chop chicken into small chunks. Add rest of ingredients. Form into loose patties with a large spoon and fry in a small amount of oil. Add a nice salad  with homemade dressing for a beautiful simple lunch.

• 2 skinless boneless chicken breasts
• 3 slices day old bread chopped in food processer
• 1/2 of a medium onion, diced small
• 1 T. chopped garlic
• 1 egg beaten
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Seafood seasoning optional

Homemade dressing:

I can’t have funky additives like MSG, artificial flavorings, or food colorings. So here’s a nice easy Ranchstyle dressing.

• 1/2 cup mayo
• 1/2 c. milk
• 1 T. lemon juice
• 1/2 t. minced garlic
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Fresh herbs optional

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Chicken Salad and German Soup

Nina’s Chicken Salad

This is an easy recipe for the most refreshing chicken salad you’ve ever tasted. Change your portions to feed a few or a lot. Measurements don’t have to be precise. If it’s just for me and David, we stew a couple boneless chicken breasts for a quick easy lunch. When serving the whole Clark family, we stew two whole chickens and debone. Here’s all you need:

• Stewed chicken, deboned, cooled and cubed
• Celery, washed and diced
• Apples, unpeeled, washed and diced
• Mayonnaise to bind it all together
• Salt and pepper to taste

I like it simple, just like that. But I’ve had it with nuts & grapes added. It’s good that way too. The Clark family tradition is to serve it with a big pot of chicken and noodles.

German Soup

Here’s another easy recipe from my mom-in-law Nina. This soup can be made in a hurry, but tastes like it’s been simmering all day.

Brown and drain:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 large onion chopped

Add 1 can each including liquid:

• Kidney beans
• Pork n beans
• Lima or butter beans

Stir in:

• ½ c. catsup
• ½ c. brown sugar
• 1 T. Worscestershire

Simmer and serve with shredded cheese on top.

Variations:

Use any kind of beans you like. Different colors make it pretty. Our granddaughters call it “Rainbow Soup.” A few slices of bacon browned with the hamburger add more flavor. And some add 1 t. liquid smoke. But I’m too fragile to have either of those. As you know, I’m a delicate flower.

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Buttermilk Brownies

For all my chocoholic friends, this will cure what ails you!

• 1 c. water
• 1/2 c. butter
• 2 c. plain flour
• 2 c. sugar
• 1/4 c. cocoa
• 1 t. baking soda
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 c. buttermilk*

Heat water and butter in sauce pan until butter is melted; Combine flour, sugar, cocoa in mixing bowl; Pour butter mixture into flour mixture and combine, mixing well;

Add buttermilk, eggs and soda mixing well; Pour into greased 9 x 13 pan; Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes; Let cool before turning out of pan

ICING:

• 1/3 c. buttermilk*
• 1/2 c. butter
• 1/4 c. cocoa

Heat the three ingredients in a sauce pan until hot and bubbly over medium heat; Remove from heat

Add with mixer

• 4 – 4 1/2 c. powdered sugar.

Pour over brownies. Slice and enjoy.

You are probably going to need a tall glass of milk or a big cup of coffee to go with this. What a wonderful use of calories!

*Helpful hint:

I don’t keep buttermilk on hand. But regular milk with a teaspoon or so of vinegar or lemon juice will work just as well. Allow milk to “clabber” as we say in the south before using it in your recipe. Twill only take a few seconds.

I’ll try to add a picture later when life slows down. Better not sit and wait for that to happen =  )

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